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(Nd Model.) 3 Sheets8heet 1.

G. F. A. GRAMKE.

POTATO CLEANING AND SORTING MACHINE.

No. 340,572. Patented Apr. 27, 1886.

N. PETERS, Ruin-lithography. Washinglom D. C,

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2;

0. F. A. GRAMKE. POTATO CLEANING AND SORTING MACHINE.

N0. 340,'572. Patented Apr. 2.7 1886.

N. PETERS. Phalwlilm m her, wzmingmn. DC.

(No Model.) 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

C. F. A. GRAMKE.

POTATO CLEANING AND SORTING MACHINE. No. 340,572. I Patented Apr. 27,1886.

WiFne/sscs. [mum/For Attorneys.

N. pzrsns Phobiilhogmphur. Wnhin'gmn, uv c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL FRIEDRICH AUGUST GItAMKE, OF STETTIN, GERMANY.

POTATO CLEANl NG AND SORTING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,572, dated April27, 1886.

Application filed May 9, 1883. Serial No. 94,454. (No model.) PatentediuGermany, April 22, 1881, No. 16,542, and in England April 28, 188?, No.2,007.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL FRIEDRICH AU? cus'r GRAMKE, a subject of theEmperor of Germany, residing at Stettin, in the German Empire, haveinvented a new and useful Potato Cleaning and Sorting Machine, (and forwhichI have obtained a patent in Germany, N0.16,542, hearing date April22, 1881, and in England, N 0. 2,007, hearing date April 28, 1882) ofwhich the following is a specifica' tion.

The invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus forcleaning and sorting potatoes; and the objects of my improvements are toprovide improved apparatus for the purpose. I attain this object by themechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1represents a plan of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3represents the lifting device and hinged flaps. Fig. 4 is a sectionalview of the hinged sieve e in Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 5211(16 represent,onalarger scale, a front and side view of the hinged flaps. Fig. 7 shows adetached view of the screens, and Fig. 8 a cross-section thereof.

The hopper I), carried by the frame a of the apparatus, has adischarge-opening governed by a slide, at, actuated by a lever, 0, theposition of which is fixed by means of the toothed segment 1). From thetop of the frame a is suspended an inclined frame, a, by means of fourrods, f. To this frame 0 a vibrating motion is imparted by means of thecrank-handle t" and wheel h, imparting motion to the pinion k on theshaft 1, which actuates the bevel-pinions on, and thereby imparts areciprocating motion to the frame 0 through the rods a and w, worked bythe eccentrics r and s. I

The frame 0 is provided with a screen having meshes of two differentdegrees of fineness, as shown in Fig. 1, the finer meshes being next thehopper, so that on the potatoes falling from the latter onto the screenthe smaller ones first pass through the screen, while the larger onespass over and fall through the larger meshes, and those that are toolarge to pass through these roll down onto the table d. The screen hassuspended from its under side a series of hinged flaps, g, which arepressed upward against the screen from time to time by means of theblocks h, carried by the traveling and endless band i passing around thesmall pulleys j, Fig. 3, carried by the spindles Z and m. Thiscontrivance forces out any potatoes that may have stuck fast in themeshes.

Beneath the frame a is a second, 13, which is made to vibrate on acentral pivot,k', by means of the rod 11, actuated by the aforesaidgearing i 9 h l and shaft 1). This frame contains two screens, 13 B",carried therein on pivots k k, so that they can be turned thereon intoaninclined position by means of the hand-straps Z, whereby the potatoesare caused to roll into the bags I) on this or the other side of theapparatus, as may be desired, being discharged into the sacks throughthe spouts o". For holding the screens B B in an inclined position forthis purpose weights m are connected to the hand-straps Z. The screens BB" act to remove any dirt from the potatoes, which dirt will fall ontothe floor. The potatoes that do not pass through the meshes of the topscreen are collected on the table d, having a perforated bottom, throughwhich any dirt may fall. At the end of the table are open ings, throughwhich the potatoes fall into sacks b.

The table (1 maybe adjusted to any desired inclined position by means ofthe quadrant strut'r. The charge of potatoes being placed in the hopperZ), passes through the regulated opening thereof onto the screens 0, onpassing over which they are sorted, as described, and they pass to thelower screens and table d, and then into sacks b,supported by frames 0,having hooks d and chain c to supportthe frame 0.

Iclaiml. The combination, with the frame a, the spouts 0 and the screenfor sorting, of the additional screens B B, provided with pivots kwhereby they are capable of being inclined to either side in order todischarge the potatoes through said spouts.

2. The combination, with the frame a and provided with the flaps g, ofthe travelingthe sorting-screen provided with pivoted or band & andprojections h, for the purpose hinged flaps g, of means for pressingsaid flaps specified.

upward against the under side of the screen, CARL FRIEDRICH AUGUSTGRAMKE. 5 so as to force out any potatoes that may have Witnesses:

stuck fast in the meshes. PAUL DERRLICH,

3. The eomoinatioinwith the sorting-screen Y GUSTAVE TARLZEN.

